Tank filling device



July. 4, 1939- c. H. sHELDoN TANK FILLING'DEVICE Filed April' 7, 1957 "vill/lll INV ENT OR,

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES iiTNT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates in general to tank lling devices and in particular to a pumping device for use in filling tanks with liquid fuel, the specific form of my invention shown herein being espe :i cially adapted for use in filling the fuel tanks on tractors, airplanes, etc.

In present day practice various methods are employed in supplying liquid fuel to tanks on vehicles, the bucket carrying method probabiy being the most primitive. Other methods include a force pump on the container, the liquid being forced out of the container into the tank by air pressure. This is unsatisfactory due to abnormal pressures and strain on the tank and the necessity of having a second person watching the opening to see when the tank is full. This last disadvantage is inherent in any device or method which does not have flow control or pump means adjacent the filler opening on the vehicle tank.

I am aware that there are pumps which are placed in the fuel supply line but to my knowledge these pumps are adjacent the supply container and use a long hose extending from the container to the tank being filled. With such an arrangement it is necessary to have another person watch ing the tank ller opening to determine when the tank is full.

My invention employs a self priming pump carrying a funnel shaped discharge nozzle and a supply hose insertable in a liquid supply container, the nozzle on the pump feeding the liquid directly into the vehicle tank.

The objects of my invention are, first; to provide a tank iilling ldevice comprising a supply hose, one end of which is insertable in a supply tank, the other end carrying a manually operated pump and a nozzle on the pump insertable in the fuel receiving tank. g

Second; to provide in a device of the class described, a pump having a discharge nozzle closely associated therewith, whereby the operator of the pump may have the filler opening of the tank under constant surveillance during the filling of said tank.

Third; to provide a pump and discharge nozzle therefor, said nozzle being funnel shaped to facilitate the departure of liquid from said pump.

Fourth; to provide a piston pump of the class described having a cylinder in which said piston operates, a valve on said piston and a valve in said cylinder, means on the cylinder valve co operating with the piston whereby moving the piston to a certain position in the cylinder will cause both valves to open allowing any liquid (Cl. 22h-80) in the cylinder to gravitate to the fuel supply source.

Fifth; to provide a tank filling device of the class described, employing a pump and an elongated supply hose insertible in a fuel supply source, said pump being adapted to start a syphon providing that the fuel supply source is at a higher level than the tank on the tractor or other device being filled.

Sixth; to provide in a tank filling device employing a pump to create a syphon, means in the pump for stopping the iiow of liquid therethrough.

And lastly, to provide a device for filling tanks, simple and inexpensive in construction, positive and foolproof in operation and possessing advantages heretofore unknown to the art.

Further objects as well as the construction of the invention will be clearly understood by reference to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing in which is shown the preferred form of my invention as it now appears to me.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical cross-sectional view through my device vshowing the pump mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the device being used for filling a fuel tank.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view showing the piston and vaives in the cylinder draining position.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevational assembly view of the device.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional View of the upper portion of the cylinder and discharge chamber, showing the piston and valve in syphon shut-off position, and

Fig4 7 is a fragmentary sectional View on the line i-l of Fig. 5 illustrating the funnel shape of the discharge nozzle on the pump.

With reference to the drawing by designating numerals, i is a tank on a tractor, airplane or other vehicle or motor driven device, a filler opening 2v being provided therein. The nozzle of the pump 3 ts in the ller opening and a supply hose 4 extends from the pump to a source of fuel supply, in this case, a 'barrel 5. terminate in a rigid tube t insertable in the barrel and having a screen l at the end thereof.

The pump comprises a head 8 having a discharge chamber 9 opening into the funnel portion lll oi the nozzle i l. Insealed connection with the The hose 4 may head 8 is a cylinder I2 forming a pumping chamber I3, the lower end of the cylinder I2 being in sealed engagement with the intake head I4. Suitable gaskets I5 and IG may be provided. The heads 8 and I4 are provided with hanged lugs I'I through which bolts I8 pass to securely hold the heads and cylinder together.

The head I4 forming the bottom of the pumping chamber I3 is provided with an opening I 9, valved by disc valve 20 resting on the valve seat 2i. Valve 20 is suitably pivoted at 22 to upstanding members 23. A lug or piston engaging projection 24 is provided on valve 20 as well as an upstanding finger or piston valve engaging member 25, the purpose of which will be hereinafter disclosed.

Adapted to be reciprocated in the pumping chamber I3 is a piston 26, having a suitable sealing ring 21 provided in the skirt 28 thereof. The top of the piston has a spider 29 providing openings 30 in said piston top.

A piston stem or shaft 3l is securely fastened to said piston and passes through suitable bearing 32 in the head 8. Concentrically and loosely posin ticned about said stem 3l is a disc valve 33 adapted to contact valve seats 34 and 34 on piston 25 to close openings 30 therein. Curved lugs 35 on valve 33 carry a coil spring 35 in concentric relation to stern 3| for the purpose hereinafter specied. Suitable stop member or cotter pin 3| is provided on stem 3I to limit the upward movement of the Valve 33.

The piston 26 is operated by means of handle 3l pivotally connected to stem 3l at 38 and to rock ing supports 39 at 49, the lower ends of the sup-f ports 39 being pivotally supported at 4i to spaced projections 42 on the intake extension 43 of head I4. Extension 43 carries a rigid tube 44 to which supply hose 4 is connected, said tube 44 acting as a brace or a handle during pumping operations since the operator can hold the rigid tube with one hand and operate the handle 3l with the other. A depending flange 45 is provided on the lower head I4 to provide a suitable member for resting the pump on the tank during pumping operations.

In operating the device, the tube 6 is inserted in a container and the nozzle Il is placed in the opening 2 of the tank I. Manipulation of the handle 31 Will reciprocate the piston 26 in the pumping chamber I3, upward movement of the piston drawing liquid from the container 3 through the supply hose 4, the valve 23 opening to allow the liquid to enter the piston chamber I3, the piston valve 33 remaining closed during upward movement of the piston. After the piston has reached the top of its stroke and has started downward, the valve 23 will be closed and the liquid Will force the valve 33 open, the liquid passing through openings 30. After the pump is primed every upward stroke of the piston will force liquid into the discharge chamber E and into funnel portion I0 of the nozzle II. The capacity of the funnel portion I0 and of the nozzle li is substantially the same as the capacity of the pumping chamber so that no back pressure is created on the piston, the liquid gravitating freely into the funnel and nozzle, and discharging therefrom before the next stroke of the piston brings a fresh supply of liquid to be discharged. This arrangement eliminates the necessity of packing the bearing 32 for stem SI since the liquid is not under pressure.

It is also obvious that the provision of a funnel shaped nozzle as shown herein will prevent splashing of the liquid during discharge since a steady stream of liquid will gravitate from the nozzle and, not being under pressure, will have little or no tendency to splash.

After the tank I is full and any liquid remains in the pump, said liquid may be returned to the supply source by raising the handle 3l to its highest position, forcing the piston downwardly, causing the skirt 28 to Contact the lug or projection 24, tilting valve 20 and causing upstanding finger 25 to contact valve 33 to open same and allow the liquid in the pumping chamber and in the supply hose to gravitate to the supply container. (See Fig. 3.)

My invention may also be employed as a syphon, the supply container necessarily being positioned at a point above the level of the tank being filled. When such an arrangement is available, the pumping device is positioned in the usual manner with the end of the supply hose in the supply container and the nozzle of the pump in the ller opening of the tank. After priming the supply hose and pump by a few strokes of the piston, an additional stroke or two will start the syphon, the valves 2G and 33 being kept open by the force of the liquid.

When it is desired to stop the iiow of liquid, the

handle 3l is forced down to its lowest extremity,

raising the piston 2t until the end of spring 313 strikes the inside surface 3 of head 3, the spring being compressed to force valve 33 against seats 34 and 3d to close openings 3Q, shutting off further fiow of liquid. To cause the liquid now rcn maining in the pumping chamber and supply hose to return to the supply container, the pump and conduit are raised higher than the supply container and the piston is forced downward, opening valves 23 and 33 as hereinbefore eX- plained, the liquid gravitating to the supply source.

It will be seen that I have provided a self-priming tank filling device with an elongated supply conduit insertable in a source of liquid supply whereby the manipulator of the device may stand at the tank being filled and operate the device while watching the ller opening of the tank to prevent overflowing.

I have als-o provided a pump with a discharge nozzle having a funnel portion therein to receive the liquid from the pumping chamber and te allow the liquid to gravitate therefrom before an other supply of liquid is received from the pumping chamber, providing for an even now of liquid and preventing splashing during discharge.

i have also provided a device which may be used as a syphon and which is provided with new and novel means for stopping the syphon and for allowing surplus liquid in the pump to return to the supply source.

lt can also be seen that for manipulation of the pump have provided a rigid conduit portion forming a handle to be grasped in one hand by the operator while his other hand manipulates the rocking handle which actuates the pump piston.

It is obvious that changes and details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my inven tion and I reserve all rights to suoli changes as come Within the scope of these specifications and the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described employing a suction pump, a substantially vertical discharge in form, proportion nozzle on the pump, the upper portion of said discharge nozzle being enlarged or funnel shaped, whereby liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will fill the upper portion of the nozzle and gravitate therefrom before the next stroke of the pump brings a fresh supply of liquid.

2. In a device of the class described for use as a syphon, a piston and a pumping chamber, a valved inlet and an outlet in the pumping chamber, a valved opening in the piston, movement of the piston away from the valved inlet creating a syphon and constant flow of liquid through the pumping chamber, a compression spring on the Valve on the piston, further movement of the piston away from the valved inlet causing the compression spring to strike the end of the pumping chamber and close the valve on the piston to stop the syphon.

3. A portable tank filling device of the class described, comprising an elongated flexible conduit insertable in a liquid supply container, a suction pump carried by the other end of said flexible conduit, and a discharge nozzle integral with the pump and insertable into the ller opening of the tank being filled, an elongated rigid inlet conduit extending from said pump and to which said flexible conduit is connected, said rigid conduit forming a handle adapted to be grasped by the operator for holding the pump steady during pump operations.

4. In a device of the class described employing a suction pump, a substantially vertical discharge nozzle on the pump, the upper portion of said nozzle being enlarged or funnel shaped and having a capacity equal to or greater than the stroke capacity of the pump whereby liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will ll the upper portion of the nozzle and gravitate therefrom gradually to empty the nozzle before the next stroke of the pump brings a fresh supply of liquid.

5. In a device of the class described employing a suction pump, a discharge chamber in communication with the pump, said chamber being enlarged or funnel shaped and of a capacity equal to or greater than the stroke capacity of the pump, a reduced outlet from the discharge chamber whereby liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will fill the chamber and gravitate therefrom before the next stroke of the pump brings a fresh supply of liquid.

6. In a device of the class described for use as a syphon, a piston and a pumping chamber, a valved inlet and an outlet in the pumping chamber, a valved opening in the piston, movement of the piston away from the valved inlet creating a syphon and constant flow of liquid through the pumping chamber, and stop means for closing the valve on the piston when said piston is moved further from the valved inlet.

7. In a device of the class described employing a pump including a pump chamber, a discharge 'chamber arranged and constructed to receive gravitating liquid from the pump chamber and having a capacity equal to or greater than the stroke capacity of the pump, and a discharge opening from the discharge chamber whereby all the liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will gravitate to the discharge chamber and out the discharge opening before the next pumping stroke commences.

8. In a device of the class described employing a pump including a pump chamber, a head in communication with the pump chamber, a discharge nozzle communicating with the head and having a capacity equal to or greater than the stroke capacity of the pump, whereby all the liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will gravitate into the discharge nozzle and out of the opening therefrom before the next pumping stroke commences.

9. In a device of the class described employing a pump including a pump chamber, a head in communication with the pump chamber, an elongated, funnel-shaped discharge nozzle communicating with the head and having a capacity equal to or greater than the stroke capacity of the pump, whereby all the liquid fed at each stroke of the pump will gravitate into the discharge nozzle and out the opening therefrom before the next pumping stroke commences.

10, In a device of the class described for use as a syphon, a piston and a pumping chamber, a valved opening in the piston, a pumping movement of the piston creating a syphon and constant flow of liquid through the pumping chamber, a resilient member on the valve on the piston, further movement of the piston in a pumping direction causing the resilient member to strike the end of the pumping chamber and close the valve on the piston to stop the syphon.

11. In a device of the class described for use as a syphon, a piston and a pumping chamber, a valved opening in the piston, a pumping movement of the piston creating a syphon and constant flow of liquid through the pumping chamber, a stop member on the valve on the piston, further movement of the piston in a pumping direction causing the stop member to strike the end of the pumping chamber and close the valve on the piston to stop the syphon.

CECIL I-I. SHELDON, 

